St James' Church, Great Ormside facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James' Church, Great Ormside |
|
|---|---|
St James' Church, Great Ormside, from the southeast
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | NY 701 177 |
| Location | Great Ormside, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St James, Ormside |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 12 April 1984 |
| Architect(s) | C. J. Ferguson (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ormside |
| Deanery | Appleby |
| Archdeaconry | Carlisle |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St James' Church is a very old church located in the small village of Great Ormside, which is in Cumbria, England. It is a parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is part of the Anglican faith and is still actively used today. It is considered a very important building, listed as a Grade I heritage site. This means it has special historical or architectural value. The church sits on a round hill that looks out over the River Eden.
Contents
The Church's Long History
The hill where St James' Church stands was a special place even before Christianity arrived in the area. It was used as a burial ground by the Vikings a very long time ago. We don't know exactly when the first Christian church was built here. However, the main part of the current church, called the nave, was built in the late 1000s.
How the Church Grew Over Time
Around the mid-1100s, a side section called a north aisle was added. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, was also made wider. In the 1200s, a tall tower was built at the west end of the church.
In the early 1500s, the chancel was made even bigger. It became wider than the nave, which is unusual for churches. Later, in 1723, a new part called the Hilton Chapel was built. It replaced the older north aisle.
Modern Updates and Changes
The church got a big makeover between 1885 and 1886. This work was done by an architect named C. J. Ferguson. It cost about £732 at the time. During this restoration, some parts were rebuilt. New decorative stone patterns were added to the windows of the Hilton Chapel. A new entrance and porch were also added on the south side of the church. In 1893, the roof of the tower was replaced.
What the Church Looks Like
St James' Church is built from sandstone rocks. The roofs are covered with slate tiles on one side and stone flags on the other. The church has a main nave, a porch on the south side, and the Hilton Chapel on the north. It also has a wider chancel, a small room called a vestry, and a tower at the west end.
Outside the Church
The tower is about 11 feet (3.4 meters) wide and has three levels. It has strong corner supports called buttresses. The tower was built to be like a fortress. It has no outside door and only narrow, tall windows on the west and south sides. There are no windows on the north side at all. The very top of the tower used to be taller, but it was lowered. It now has a pointed roof.
On the south side, there is a porch with a pointed roof. Next to it is the original old doorway. This doorway is tall and narrow with a rounded top. It has a plain stone panel above it. To the right of this, there are two more windows. One is rounded, and the other has two sections from the 1300s. The chancel's south wall has three windows and a door below the middle one. The window at the very east end has three sections. The windows in the Hilton Chapel are all rounded at the top.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, there's a tall, narrow, rounded doorway leading into the tower. There's also an upper doorway, which was another defensive feature. The tower has a basement and two floors inside. It holds two bells, but only one can be rung.
Between the nave and the chapel, there's an arcade with two rounded arches. This is a Norman style feature. In the chapel, you can see a coat of arms from 1723. There's also a special opening in the wall from the 1300s called a hagioscope. This allowed people in the chapel to see the altar.
In the chancel's south wall, there's a combined aumbry (a cupboard for sacred items) and piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). These are in two rounded alcoves. The font, used for baptisms, is also Norman. It has a square bowl sitting on a base that was added in the 1800s.
Discoveries in the Churchyard
The area around the church, called the churchyard, has been a place of important discoveries. In 1823, a very old bowl was found here. It's called the Ormside bowl and dates back to the 600s or 700s. This amazing Anglo-Saxon bowl is now kept in the Yorkshire Museum.
Another exciting discovery happened in 1898. This was the burial site of a Viking warrior, complete with his sword! The sword is now on display at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle. In the churchyard, you can also see the stone base for a cross from 1643. A new cross was placed on this base in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Both the cross and its base are listed as Grade II heritage items.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
- Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
- Listed buildings in Ormside
